Side-delivery rakes are known, to gather into swathes hay, forage, straw or agricultural products in general.
Side-delivery rakes are also known that comprise a trolleyed frame which is connected to a tractor and to which a plurality of stellar wheels are associated.
Each stellar wheel consists of a plurality of radial teeth that perform an action of elastic thrust on the hay, to form the swath.
Two supporting arms are associated on two opposite sides of the trolleyed frame and on each of them a plurality of stellar wheels are mounted.
Each of the supporting arms, in the working condition of the side-delivery rake, is configured so as to dispose the series of stellar wheels, in the longitudinal direction, converging toward the central zone of the trolleyed frame, so as to exert the gathering action on the hay.
The supporting arms are suitable to assume at least a first configuration in which they are disposed substantially parallel to the ground to allow the stellar wheels to exert the gathering action, and a second configuration or transport configuration, in which the stellar wheels are raised with respect to the ground for traveling by road.
It is also known that the arms are associated with actuator members, usually hydraulic actuators, which provide to take them to the first or second operating configuration.
The supporting arms are pivoted in correspondence with the trolleyed frame and are provided with stop elements, for example a protruding tooth solidly associated with the supporting arm. The tooth, cooperating mechanically with a fixed part of the trolleyed frame, determines the position of maximum and minimum angular travel of the supporting arm with respect to the trolleyed frame.
One disadvantage of some known side-delivery rakes is that, due to the irregularity of the ground, for example because of humps or slopes, the stellar wheels are not able to exert an appropriate gathering action, for example they do not gather the hay or they exert too high a pressure on the ground such as to raise the dust or earth and pollute the hay gathered. In some cases the teeth of the stellar wheels are also damaged.
Another disadvantage is that, even when suitable stop means of the arms are provided, the operator is not able to achieve a precise and rapid adjustment of the pressure of the stellar wheels. In particular, with known stop means, it is often very difficult to determine an identical inclination of the two supporting arms, obtaining a different adjustment of the pressure on the two arms.
One purpose of the present invention is to obtain a side-delivery rake that allows to adapt, substantially in all circumstances, the position of the stellar wheels with respect to the ground so as to optimize the gathering action.
Another purpose of the present invention is to obtain a side-delivery rake that allows to prevent damage to the stellar wheels and to reduce the wear on their teeth.
Another purpose of the present invention is to obtain a side-delivery rake that is versatile, simple and economical to produce.
The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.